The Sailor Wizardry History
by Jay FicLover
Summary: After Tuxedo Kamen sacrifices himself to save Sailor Moon from the outcomes of the Stars saga, Usagi and the girls find out his discovery and previous arrangements to introduce them all to the world of Wizard Magic. Set after Voldemort.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and Scholastic, etc., while Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.

WARNING: This fic is manga-based, so don't expect the Sailor parts to sound like the anime. It is also my very first try at a Harry Potter fanfic; this may get updated quite randomly. Those who've known me for some time now are aware that English is not my first language, and know better than to expect my stories to go always forward uninterrupted. I take my fanfiction seriously and I like to take my sweet time once in a while when needed, before I update. This means, however, you are allowed to give as much criticism as you want. *winks*

_I dedicate this fanfic to my all time favorite hp/sm author, Heroine of the Valley: This is for you, you rock girl! :) You've been a source of inspiration for me._

**Summary: After Tuxedo Kamen sacrifices himself to save Sailor Moon from the outcomes of the Stars saga, Usagi and the girls find out his discovery and previous arrangements to introduce them all to the world of Wizard Magic. Set after Voldemort.**

* * *

PROLOGUE

**June, 1997. United Kingdom.**

**End of Harry's Sixth Year.**

"And you are certain they will be ready to join Hogwarts next year, as proper Seventh Year students?" the wizened old man said. "I'm afraid it looks like an overwhelming contest against time"

The young man couldn't fully repress a smile.

"I know it sounds presumptuous to expect them to learn seven years of Wizarding customs and teachings in fourteen months, but I have every faith in them. I know they can do it, and with the help of the Time Turners, and your teaching methods, I have no doubt on my mind that they will."

"Ah. Though I appreciate the suggested compliment, Mr Chiba, I must say the _Scientia cum Somnus_ was an invention of the wizard Merlin, himself. It was not to encourage idleness and overconfidence among the youths, that it ceased to be practiced in our school"

"I understand, sir," the young brunet replied. "Though I must remind you to please just call me by my given name._'Mr Chiba'_sounds unnecessary formal," he finished with a slight bow. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had to laugh at his own expense.

"I admit to forgetting much too often. You will have to forgive an old man's failing memory, Mamoru"

"It's alright," the reincarnated Prince of Earth assented with warmth, vehemently. "I don't wish for you to be uncomfortable on my behalf" The two different men exchanged a conspiring smile at their mutual awkwardness in courtesy.

"I reckon you will be informing your allies and your intended soon?" Dumbledore suddenly inquired.

"Yes. Usagi and her friends are unaware of this as of yet. Out of the eight Sailor Soldiers, only three of the Outers know of my impromptu visit here in Britain"

"This means Sailor Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, if I'm correct?"

"That's right. They accidentally came upon the Wizarding World six months ago, while in their worldwide tour following the death of the Death Busters. When they were back in Tokyo and the queen of the Dead Moon was defeated, they were the ones to inform me of its existence"

"Yes, the Dementor incident. It was fortunate for both of us that Ms Bagshot's young nephew happened to be close by and inform one of our Aurors, Kingsley Shacklebot. Ms Bagshot was a long-time friend of Cassandra Vablatsky, a Seer, who had foretold the event for ten years. The two had argued about the significance of Ms Vlabatsky's vision for quite a while, which was the reason why Bathilda Bagshot sent the young man there, to the right place on the right date, to verify its accuracy.

Dumbledore decided not to dwell on the fact that Vlabatsky was dead shortly thereafter and that Bathilda reported her great nephew, one of Grindelwald's last living relatives, had recently gone missing. "It was quite shocking—," he continued after a while, "—to learn magical protectors such as you and your group existed"

"I'd had no idea there were people in the present who were capable of using the old Golden Kingdom's primal magic, let alone develop it into such advanced forms of complexity," Mamoru nodded. "There is also the fact my memories of those ancient days are still rather fuzzy"

"Naturally," the older man assented. "I see. Do you still plan to return in September?"

"I want to continue getting acquainted with the current Wizarding society. I don't like keeping secrets from my intended, but I need to see for myself if this Voldemort threat doesn't pose a risk to her safety, before I tell her everything"

"So you'll pretend pursuing your studies at that muggle university, when indeed you'll come here to prepare yourself, before risking the possibility of bringing her into a situation of potential danger. Of course, I understand your reasons. Those risks that have troubled you will be avoided if we play our cards wisely, however"

The two men went on with their conversation, unaware it would be the last time they'd ever see each other.

* * *

**Chapter One.**

**Three months later. September, 1997.**

Eternal Sailor Moon's gaze narrowed as she looked down at the abyss of Light below them. With one last look back at the domains of Sailor Galaxia, and an exchanged glance with ChibiChibi, she took a step forward and leaped inside.

As she was falling, she never noticed Chibi Chibi's form disappear from sight completely. Her entire attention was on the Cauldron right under her. Few words crossed her lips seconds before she reached it.

"Wait for me, everyone"

- - - - - - -

It was a white void made entirely of Light. However, that light wasn't blinding or hurting to the eyes, despite the indescribable brilliancy. The girl also known as Sailor Mars looked around her wearily, until she heard one of her friends' shout.

"_REI-CHAN! _REI!!!!" the form of the princess of Venus appeared in front of her.

"Minako...?!?"

"It really is you, it's so great you're here!" the blond quickly propelled forward to embrace her, her own demeanor anxious. "I thought I was the only one lost!"

"Not so," a third voice stated soothingly. "We're all here, apparently"

Minako and Rei turned in an instant. "H- Haruka-san?!??"

The tall female smiled as she approached with Michiru. Seeing the other two beside them, the two Inners cried. "Setsuna-san?! Hotaru!" But it was the ones that followed who made their mouths open wide. "_Mako-chan! Ami-chan!"_

"You guys are alright!" Mina exclaimed with joy.

"But how?" her brunette companion whispered with uncertainty, "You had been killed before our eyes..." Rei stared at Minako with dread. "I remember.... how Galaxia killed _us._"

Turning to the rest of their group, she didn't dare say the unspoken question aloud. No one said anything for a while. Makoto and Ami, appearing confused, watched how Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna looked at each other with silent understanding and then Michiru clasped Hotaru's hand. Ami gasped and the four Inners too looked at one another.

Soon enough, a silent message was passed between the eight of them through their eyes. Makoto was the first to brave her courage enough to speak. "Does this mean... we're all dead now?"

This gave way to another brief silence, as each of the Senshi got her mind around it.

"But Usagi isn't with us!" Minako cried almost immediately. "And what of the Starlights ...Artemis and Luna!? What about Mamoru?!"

"I heard Usagi calling for us," Rei murmured, her voice deep with repressed emotion. "I'm sure I felt Mamoru's presence nearby. He was close, somehow"

This received an assenting gesture from Michiru. "We have felt the same. We also felt Small Lady's life force, flickering in and out of existence"

"Wha-?!"

"...Chibiusa?!?"

Hotaru and Setsuna nodded with grim expressions. "She tried to come to help us from the future"

"Oh no-"

"Usagi, Usagi-chan...!!"

"-we have to do something," Michiru finished, downcast.

Haruka's hands fisted. "We must get out first," she deadpanned looking all around them. "Where is this place?!!"

The rest soon followed her example. Ami boxed her mouth and screamed. "Hello!! Is anybody here?!!" She tried again. "Is anybody out there, can anyone help us!!?" But no one seemed to be answering from within the endless whiteness.

"It seems like a realm between life and death," Setsuna commented. "I doubt we will be able to get out of here; not without help from an ultimate being"

"That can't be," Rei said with a passion. Minako fell to her knees, hugging herself tightly.

"Sailor Moon..."

A bright sphere of light appeared before them in that exact moment.

"_So these are the ones so beloved to that Star_"

Minako opened her eyes and got to her feet like a flash. Rei quickly came to stand beside her. They both looked down at the tiny fairy-like creature inside the glowing ball.

"Who are you?"

"_My name is Guardian Cosmos,_" the fairy being said. "_Guardian of the Galaxy Cauldron and of this Cosmos Seed and Star_"

"The Galaxy Cauldron?" Rei and Minako blinked as the other six joined them. "Is that where we are right now?" they wondered outloud.

"_Yes_"

"We heard about it once," Setsuna said wistfully. "It's the place that gives birth to the galaxy's countless planets and stars"

"Not just birth only," Hotaru answered, her gaze gaining an an unfathomable light in it. "Resurrection and rebirth are also possible. To be reborn, this is the place where all souls of the dead come to die"

They saw the being give them an indulgent smile. "_Soon, by the power of this Holy Cauldron, your Shine will resurrect its previous human body and return to your Mother Star. I am glad to have met you before that_"

This made the Senshi all happy to hear it. They were going to be revived, with their previous bodies, and sent back to their planet? Both Inners and Outers took each others hands and grasped them tightly, unable to control their relief or desire to laugh in delight. Later on, Ami approached the small guardian in earnest.

"But, Guardian Cosmos, if you are the Cauldron's guardian, could you tell us where the rest of our friends are?"

Michiru bowed to the being solemnly. "Three of them appear to be missing," she informed, her respectful tone belying a pleading taint. "We don't know what could have happened to them." Guardian Cosmos assented.

"_I have sensed your concern,_" she made a pause and closed her own eyelids. The eight Senshi surrounding her looked on grimly. "_For those of a Twilight Shine, a Golden Shine, and a Silver Shine, respectively_"

Small Lady-sama, ...Endymion-sama,... Serenity...

The fairy like being proceeded. "_The one with the Twilight Shine has been sent to the infinite future; she and her protectors will be sheltered by the likes of Sailor Cosmos_"

The senshi looked back in confusion. "Sailor... Cosmos?"

Guardian Cosmos pointed her staff at them, and the vision of a small little girl flashed in their minds. "Chibi Chibi!?!" The form of Chibi Chibi grew in their minds' eye until it became a full fledged, adult Sailor Senshi. A timeless Sailor Senshi who inhabited a world where Crystal Tokyo didn't exist anymore.

It should not have been Usagi's transmutation; but then again, it couldn't have been someone else entirely, either. That meant perhaps, someday, Chibiusa would be nurtured by the transubstantiated essence of Usagi's self.

"...Chibi Moon..." Hotaru tried to say more; but, once again, Guardian Cosmos continued.

"_The one of planet Earth, owner of the Golden Shine, has been here in this Cauldron, and you will eventually be reunited,_" the girls began to turn to one another with relief showing on their faces, expecting to hear similar news next, about their Princess. When Guardian Cosmos said nothing, their relief disappeared.

They did not have to ask her, for Guardian Cosmos finished with a regretful sigh. "_But the one with the Shine of Silver, carrier of the galaxy's strongest crystal, whose light was of compassion; she sacrificed her own soul for the power to resurrect her loved ones. She gave her star-seed to save this Cauldron, and as a result..._

The senshi were unable to contain the chilling fear inside them.

"_As a result... ...she gave her life_"

---*---

It happened before anyone of them could react. Before even the Inners could give way to their sorrow, like in response to the words of Guardian Cosmos, the entire Galaxy Cauldron was violently shaken by a golden light strike.

"No. You can't be gone. Usako..." a grief stricken distant voice said. "...I will not allow it... "

* * *

**Twelve Months Later.**

**September, 1998. Tokyo.**

The voice broke through the thoughts of the one spying the front door of the Tsukino household. "You know staying here, watching her live her life day after day, is not going to make you feel any better"

"...Michiru-san?!"

"It's been a year, Minako-chan. You make us worry. You can't keep doing this to yourself"

"...I know," Minako looked down. "I just wish it were different"

"You are seriously upsetting Mako-chan. Until Rei and Ami awaken, you are the only other one of your group whose memory still remains"

"It's just, it's so unfair!" the blond said with new found helplessness. "It's pointless for them to wake up now, the way things are right now. None of this was supposed to happen"

Michiru smiled in bittersweet understanding. "After each of Luna's attempts failed, we all thought it best to let it rest. To just let it be, for a while"

Mina looked down again. "But I can't. Every time I think about it, I feel like I'm abandoning her. Especially now, with the way Mamoru-san is—," she could not end that sentence; none-the-less, the aqua haired girl nodded. "Michiru-san, she should be able to remember, she did it for us! I feel like I failed her"

The eyes of the violin-player hardened. "We all miss her, Minako, desperately so. However, it would not be right to force her into remembering. That would be selfish"

"I do know that right now we should do what's best for Usagi, but... I don't want to let it go. I don't want to lose her too," The blonde stared up at Michiru. "She should be able to remember us, at least, just us. So, why, why can't she?"

"Minako-chan"

Minako stared down at her hands. Her fringe obscured her eyes. "Do you think the reason she doesn't, is because she doesn't want to?"

"Oh Minako-chan..." the young woman whispered sadly as she took the now sobbing younger girl in her arms. "Don't cry, Minako-chan" Once more, the Venus princess stared up at the older girl in despair.

"I just don't understand why Mamoru did it!"

----*----

"How is Minako-chan?"

"Better, now that Makoto is beside her. It breaks my heart seeing them so heart-broken. Minako used to be the most lively of them all"

"If we could get at least Rei and Ami to remember, perhaps they wouldn't be taking it so hard," a third woman offered, looking out of a nearby window.

The Uranus princess glanced to her left at the princess of Pluto. "Yes, but that's for the same reason we have not attempted to awaken Hotaru yet," she reminded, frowning lightly. "Problematic. Unnecessary. Would only bring upon them unnecessary pain. We'd all agreed that we should wait" The other room occupants heard the question hidden.

"It's so difficult at times," Setsuna shook her head, her arms crossing. "This level of uncertainty... The threads of Time continue to be wavering"

"I didn't realize how much we had come to depend on Mamoru-san," the slim blonde asserted. "With him gone, we're left even more defenseless," she suppressed the need to slam her hand on the dinning room table. "I don't like the thought of those wizards roaming Tokyo, looking for our Princess"

"They call them Death Eaters," supplied the Time Guardian. "That Kingsley Shacklebot had assured us they don't really know who she truly is"

"Even so, we ought to stay focused," commented the aqua-haired girl.

"Just let Minako keep her watch over Usagi's house. She's been through a lot before and she's a tough Senshi; a little depression won't break her"

"Haruka," Michiru piped in somberly, bringing her attention back to herself. "Have you thought of what will become of the five of us if our princess never remembers?"

The sandy blonde opened her mouth to answer, but no words would come out. Running a hand through her hair, frustrated, she turned away.

"I don't like to think about things like that"

"Just as well, it is too a possibility," Setsuna admitted.

"What will that outcome have us do, then?" Michiru wondered. "Protect the Earth, without Sailor Moon?" All three of them dreaded the thought.

Haruka turned and walked a bit away from them. "Last time we tried, didn't turn out so good," she announced self-deprecatingly.

**To Be Continued.**

* * *

**A/N: So I decided to stop dallying around the issue and try my hand at a HP/SM fic. Some of you may be aware of how much I love this fandom. As a HP beginner of sorts, I'll appreciate all the help I can get. Anyway, nothing else left to say. I hope you guys enjoyed this little piece. ^_^**

**Sends cheery wave to you all,**

**Jay FicLover**


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and Scholastic, etc., while Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.

WARNING: The Sailor parts are manga-based, don't expect them to always sound like the anime. It is also my very first try at a Harry Potter fanfic.

* * *

**Chapter 2. **

**Tokyo.**

"Mina-chan, you finally better now?" Makoto asked with concern, watching her friend dry her nose with a hankerchief.

"I am sorry to impose on you," Minako sniffled, "I didn't know where else to go"

"Don't be silly" Mako reprimanded. "You know you're not imposing" She went towards her kitchen cabinets, placing a hand on top of one of the door handles. "Would you like something to eat?" She smiled at her friend. "Nothing is worse to a troubled heart than an empty stomach"

Despite her tears, Minako had to snort in good humor through her hankie. "I thought I was the one with the crappy made-up proverbs" Makoto shrugged.

"Can't let you to get all the fun, can I?" She started rummaging through the cabinet contents, her back to her blond friend. "Besides, I know when you're depressed you might just be like Usagi. Food always managed to cheer her up"

At her seat, Minako giggled a bit before her blue gaze turned to the side. Her voice thinned as if in pain. "Isn't it a bit like giving up hope... talking of Usagi like something of the past?"

Behind her back, Makoto paused and for a while shut her eyes tightly; self-recriminating. "You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that"

"It's okay," Minako told her. "We're going to recover her. Along with Rei and Ami," her palms closed on two handfuls of her skirt. "We're going to get them all back"

"Mina. About Mamoru-san..." Makoto trailed off as she turned back around. Taking a breath, she straightened her back and stared at her friend. She watched the way Minako flinched lightly. "If he hadn't done what he did, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now"

"Yes, but—"

"Please, let me finish," Makoto interrupted her, a hand raised. "If he hadn't done what he did, none of us would be here right now. Usagi's original plan had been for none of us to remember... ever".

"It was still stupid, Mako-chan!" the other girl cried. "Why did he go and stupidly condemn himself like that?! We would have found another way to get back Usagi, we would have found a way around it!"

"If he hadn't done what he did, _Minako_, Usagi too would be dead right now!" Makoto shouted at her, suddenly furious. She swallowed her guilt that came at the sight of Minako's distraught wide blue eyes, looking for all the world as if she'd just slapped her. "You have to understand, Minako-chan, that there was **no other way** around it," she murmured, a hand on her temple as she felt the telling signs of a headache coming; emotionally drained from all the heartache after having had this same conversation so many times. "He did what he felt he had to, and we couldn't have stopped him, if we tried. They just loved each other too much; he... _he_ just loved her too much.

"We can only but accept it, Mina-chan... It doesn't change a thing that we torture ourselves over it; it's not what either of them would have wanted." Eyes unseeing, Makoto took another breath before proceeding. "_**You**_ have to stop torturing yourself over it, Mina-chan; Mamoru-san, he's—"

"...he's _**gone**__._" Minako finished for her.

----*----

Tsukino Ikuko continued to clean the furniture of her nice and comfortable living room. Although her home was the same as ever, some observant people would have pinpointed the subtle differences in this most usual scenario. Most of them were on the very hardworking woman herself. There were extra lines of age upon Ikuko's face now, which wouldn't have been there on the sunny housewife of merely two years before.

They were the lines of someone who'd not long before had suffered the unending agony of constant worry, stress and desperation. The sort of desperation and worry that only a mother who'd ever experienced the threat of losing one of her children could have been able to understand.

Her hands stumbled on an old photograph. It was of her daughter, Usagi, wearing her high school uniform for the first time after passing those difficult entrance exams. That had been almost two years ago. Ikuko felt a knot on her throat at the thought of that day, a few months after that photograph had been taken ―which would make it an exact year ago―, when her daughter had said goodbye, asking for two other cats to be taken care of with Luna during her absence.

She still remembered the way her heart had constricted as she'd opened her arms to receive Artemis and Diana. Felt the threat of oncoming tears, which remembrance of those events managed to bring forth still nowadays.

Had it actually been a year since that... already?

The odd feeling that had come over her at that time... The way she'd watched her daughter's form walk further and further away, leaving, and the words that had crossed her mind in that exact moment.

"_Strange. Suddenly, it feels like Usagi weren't coming back home..."_

The next three weeks that followed were the worst of Ikuko's life.

Three weeks.

Three weeks in which she and her husband had not slept, not been able to think straight, let alone to go about their daily activities. Three weeks during which Shingo had refused to eat, refused to go to school, while Kenji and herself made a frantic questioning of every single friend and relative they knew, asking if they had seen Usagi.

Three weeks in her daughter's life that, to this day, still remained a mystery.

After days of intense police search, her daughter had finally been found wandering the streets of Tokyo, aimlessly, like some sort of mentally disturbed person. Through a thorough examination by one of Kenji and Ikuko's trusted medical acquaintances, thankfully no signs of abuse of any kind had been found upon Usagi. But fact remained she did not know her own name, address or telephone number. She could not recall what had happened, where she'd been, or recognize a single one of her friends and family's faces. When asked about her fiancee, she did not have any idea of who Mamoru even was, let alone about his current whereabouts.

It had been an absolute nightmare.

Makoto Kino, a friend of Usagi's, believed it possible that Mamoru had returned from the U.S. to see Usagi, and that the two of them had been surprised by street thugs. Following that line of thinking, it was to be assumed Usagi had witnessed the attack on her boyfriend, and somehow escaped unscathed; the loss of her memory being perhaps a result of the emotional trauma... This was only one of the many hypothesis that had gone around. Neither could ever be proved or disproved.

The white cat, Artemis, eventually found its way back to its owner, Minako Aino, while the small one, Diana, had gone missing just like Usagi, that very same afternoon. Usagi's friend, Minako, soon had told Ikuko not to worry for the kitten, even though Ikuko wasn't very sure what she meant by that. She'd been frankly much too shaken to care for the animal, anyway. With time and treatment, however, most of her daughter's memories began a slow return. First her family, then her school life and a few of her old school friends. She no longer blinked blankly every time being spoken to by her brother or by their parents, but she still did not recognize Mako-chan and Mina anymore; they had all lately began to wonder if she ever would. In contrast, old friendships of hers with schoolmates like Osaka Naru and Umino Gurio had suddenly and quite unexpectedly been rekindled. With their unconditional help, Usagi had eventually managed to get back on her feet at school.

All in all, the distressed mother had been relieved and relatively satisfied. It wasn't perfect ―there were still gaps in Usagi's memory that may forever continue to be empty―; but it was ascertained no real harm had truly been done to her daughter, and it was better than the alternative. For a while, it'd looked like Usagi's beloved had simply vanished; something that never ceased to upset Ikuko.

For the rest of the world, though, life continued and things managed to go on as if Chiba Mamoru never existed. Therefore, soon, possibly much too soon, Ikuko too began to forget about him.

----*----

Four Sailor Soldiers were reunited in a deserted hallway at the top floor of a quiet apartment building.

"So, we're all here, already?"

"Yes. Minako-chan isn't coming," Makoto said. "I left her sleeping at home, she's staying over for a while. Artemis is keeping an eye on her"

"Very well," Haruka and Michiru nodded. Setsuna cleared her throat.

"Luna, Artemis and I have been working on a way to open the lock to Mamoru-san's old apartment," she informed, gesturing to the door right beside them. "Simply breaking in would require use of our Senshi powers, which may attract unwelcome attention and consequences if it's somehow being kept under watch." Makoto stared on in confusion until Setsuna continued. "He must have left someone a key, if only to have his plants watered every so often while he was gone. Deeming most probable that this person would be Usagi, I think we all agree on the unavailability of that option," she held up a small key for all to see. "Hence, we managed to make this makeshift copy,"

"That's great, Setsuna!" Michiru told her and Haruka nodded. Setsuna just curled her lip upward slightly. "With this, we'll finally get inside and see if he left anything that might help us figure certain things out―" Haruka took the key from the green haired woman gently to inspect it, "―or face whatever happens"

"Like what?" Makoto asked the three in confusion. However, the other women ignored her as Setsuna used the key to open the door and step inside. Haruka and Michiru, and then Makoto too, followed her.

"It's been a while since the last time I had reason to come over to Mamoru's," Makoto said, her voice labored. "Everything looks so bleak"

"Rather in a state of abandonment," Haruka snorted and Michiru winced at the thick layer of filth on every piece of furniture. "You say it hasn't been leased?"

Setsuna shook her head in denial. "The legal procedures regarding Mamoru's 'disappearance' must not be over yet. Since he was supposed to be out of the country, there may have been the obvious complications as to an unusual case of prolonged absence."

"I doubt Mamoru-san would be this unclean" With a barely contained grimace, the aqua haired girl slid a finger over a dirty bookshelf. "Had you been here often, Mako-chan?"

"I'd only been over a couple of times, all of them with Usagi-chan"

"You mean, when that girl from the Amazoness Quartet swapped around her and Small Lady's ages, so the two of them had to spend the night not to be seen by Usagi's parents, right?" Makoto assented. The Soldier of the Heavens assented back. "Ami told us that story once"

Makoto smiled quietly in recollection. "Yeah... that was one of those times." Haruka glanced at her with sympathy. "You hang in there, _'Thunder girl',_" she attempted to offer as comfort. "Stay strong for all of your friends." The brown haired girl smiled up at the taller Senshi in gratitude.

Then she brought up another subject.

"Something seems to be missing, though"

Haruka blinked at her with curiosity. "What do you mean?"

Looking around her with a searching gaze, the soldier of Jupiter just shook her head. "Haven't been able to figure it out yet," she said, walking around as she looked at everything deep in thought.

Then it seemed to hit her. The younger girl raised her head abruptly and ran to one of the bedrooms. The others stared after her when they heard a small cry coming out from Mamoru's room. "I knew it!" Makoto cried as she quickly ran back into the living room. "The Shitennou's four sacred stones are missing!"

The three older Senshi looked at her uncertain.

"Shitennou?"

"Oh!" It suddenly seemed to dawn on Michiru. "You are talking about those four knights that used to flank Endymion in the Moon Kingdom's era?" Haruka turned to her in question. "You knew about them?" The virtuous violinist grinned to herself, teasingly. "My Deep Aqua Mirror... you like to forget I have it, sometimes." She giggled softly at her non-amused lover. "I used to see them all the time on my mirror when I glanced at the Earth back in our previous life" The soldier of Uranus didn't look pleased about that.

"I think I remember now", the princess of Pluto interjected with a hand to her chin. "Jadeite, Neflyte, Zoisite and Kunzite... Rei and the others mentioned them a few times"

"Oi! What does that have to do with some stones?" questioned a still clueless and irritated Haruka.

"The Four Stones were the remains of the Shitennou," Makoto explained. "Mamoru kept them after their deaths. He even used them to communicate with their spirits sometimes. He kept them inside a special box here in his apartment, whenever he wasn't carrying them around with him"

"And they're gone? You think he might have had them on him when Galaxia killed him?" The Neptunian princess wondered, looking at the younger soldier in the eye.

"I... I don't know," she admitted. "He might have had them. Are those what you wanted to find in here?" The Outers shook their heads.

"Hardly," the sandy blonde murmured.

The green-eyed high-school student tilted her head. "Then...what is it we're supposed to be looking for?" she questioned. "What was it that you guys wanted to find?"

Setsuna, Michiru and Haruka looked at one another insecurely, wondering if they were prepared to let Makoto into theirs and Mamoru's _'magical'_ secret.

----*----

Eighteen-year-old Harry Potter glanced sideways at the two corners of the block. It was a rather calm day and this particular street was rather empty. He was relieved that the blonde haired girl with the huge red bow did not appear to be here today either, which meant he would finally be able to take a good look around without fear of anyone spotting him. This would be the first time he would do so, in the entire two weeks he had been there already.

Two weeks ago, he had arrived at the Narita International Airport, the major gateway for international travelers to Japan, after an eleven-hours-and-twenty-five-minutes-long, never ending flight. The general idea, from what he'd heard, was that the "security" and "anonymity" such muggle transportation provided were well worth the heroic efforts of a dead-numb arse. At the moment, though, Harry could think of at least one hundred epithets to show his colourful appreciation for the person who'd come up with that "brilliant" idea.

There were enough setbacks as it was, with the rather large language barrier and hardships of moving around in an urban area ―big enough to contain London's metropolitan population of 12 million― like Tokyo prefecture.

So it was in the name of this "security" and "anonymity" ― Ministry's equivalent pamphlets for '_dumb_' and '_dumber_'― that 'outrageous' luxuries like Apparition, Portkeys or even the Floo Network were to be forborne. Buddha knew how Harry had managed to make his way to that secluded upscale residential district of Minato known as Azabu Juuban.

And, at the exact time of Harry's arrival, two weeks ago, the area of Azabu Juuban had been crazy with its local Matsuri festival, every street filled with stalls selling food, drinks and games for the children. All in all, when things quietened down he had been able to appreciate a neighbourhood which still held a traditional Japanese downtown atmosphere, what made it rather interesting. While the side lanes sold herbal medicines, soba and tatami mats ―or so he had heard―, the narrow streets held a number of small shops selling traditional Japanese sweets and textiles.

Rearranging his wand under his muggle clothes, Harry ended his reminiscence and briskly crossed the road to stand before the gateway, staring up at the two story house in front of him.

So this was were that girl, the alleged Sailor Moon, Tsukino Usagi, lived...

**To Be Continued.**

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**A/N: Evil cliffhanger, I **_**know**_**... XD**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling.

* * *

**Chapter 3.**

"_If you prick them, do they not bleed? _

_If you tickle them, do they not laugh?"_

_William Shakespeare._

When he'd first heard about Usagi Tsukino, Harry had no idea what to make of her.

Finding from Kingsley Shacklebolt that he was to become the owner of Dumbledore's old pensieve had been somewhat of an unexpected honor, if not at all incompatible with the way Dumbledore's wishes had been previously expressed. Finding out what the contents were, of that very Pensieve, had resulted in an entirely different matter though.

Double identities, mad costume disguises, super powers, evil entities from outer space and advanced time travelling... not to forget reincarnation, Greek and Roman fairytales of royal kingdoms from back more than a thousand millenia.

Planetary guardians; no, their proper name was_ 'Sailor Soldiers'_. ...As Ron would've so accurately called it... _what in the bloody hell?_

If he hadn't known better, he'd have blamed Shackebolt for mixing Dumbledore's pensieve with that of one Xenophilius Lovegood —who'd often made of that kind of binding between reality and perception an actual possible. But even _The Quibbler _should've experienced some 'difficulties' piling up that amount of outrageous unbelievables all at the same time... 'Moon frogs' and 'Stubby Boardman' not withstanding.

It'd been all much to get in one go, just a mere month after vanquishing Lord 'Hate-you-more'. Some would say the end of the War had turned Harry into quite the cynical fellow.

Yet responsibility wasn't placed on his shoulders this time, but rather on those of that Asian girl by the name of Sailing Moon, or something. A girl who, quite incidentally, appeared to suffer from amnesia these days. This was something that quite troubled Harry, like a pointed neon sign beeping and flashing as it read "FISHY" over and over again.

Just when Harry had thought that everything was finally over.

Hence, of course, there was nothing left for it; he would have no choice but to go. He'd refrain from kicking Kingsley Shacklebolt in the shin (just barely, mind you) and agree to take the shortest flight to Japan possible, in order to investigate what it was all about. Never mind Dumbledore not mentioning this at all that last time they met at King's Cross several weeks prior, in what had to have been one of Harry's most surreal dreams ever. Never mind telling Ron and Hermione so that they'd insist once more on partaking in the most recent, maddest, most poorly-planned and downright demented of all his endeavours.

No. He could, and he would, take care of this all on his own, if he had to. Hermione was busy enough as it was, trying to locate Mr and Mrs "Wilkins" back there in Australia; whereas Ron and Ginny... they had only just buried their brother a few weeks ago; to disturb them in the middle of their mourning was unthinkable.

No.

This time, Harry could, and would, go alone; and he '_would_' solve this.

* * *

Until several weeks ago, all thoughts running on the Boy Who Lived's mind before his arrival in Tokyo had gone along that line...

_But._

As if the total strangeness of Tokyo was not enough to confuse and disorient the Western visitor, it turned out the streets had no names and buildings were numbered in a random fashion. Only most major streets having names wasn't so much of a problem, however, once you realized that street names wouldn't help you much anyway.

_X-XX-XX Azabu Juuban, Minato-Ku._

Minato-Ku was the Ward (the "city" of Tokyo, in other words Tokyo Prefecture, was comprised of twenty three of them). Azabu Juuban was a district within that Ward. This district was further subdivided into subsections called _Chome_. The first number of the address was the Chome where the address was located, the next was the subsection within (usually a specific city block), and the final digit was the actual building number within the Chome subsection.

The problem; buildings were not numbered sequentially. As Harry'd been informed, they were numbered in accordance with the order in which they'd been built. Given the amount of destruction and aggressive development in Tokyo over the past 60 years, it was extremely unlikely that two adjoining buildings in the City had been built consecutively. Even if you knew the system like a native, there was just no way, apparently, to find an address on the first try; asking random strangers on the street had only resulted in not even two people agreeing with each other.

At last, with the help of some officers from the local Police Station, thankfully, he'd been able to locate the elusive address.

* * *

Kino Makoto wiped the sweat of her forehead with the back of her hand as straightened up, readjusted her apron around her waist and gave out a long sigh. The three Outers had left hours ago, but she had stayed behind in order do do some cleanup. Finally, the draining task of righting Mamoru's old apartment was nearly done with.

"Are you tired, Mako-chan?" Luna said with sympathy, looking up at the girl in question. "You didn't have to do this"

"Well," Makoto smiled down at her feline friend, "I wanted to. In case, you know, that Usagi remembers and suddenly decides to come over. Imagine if she were to come here and saw Mamoru's place like it had been just now," Makoto gestured to all around them. Her expression was resolved. "It would tear her apart. I can't bring Mamoru back for her, but at least I can do this, to ease the pain of encountering her beloved's old home in such a state"

"Mako-chan, you're such a great friend," Luna told her with sincere gratefulness in her glittering eyes.

"No, Luna," the Senshi of Thunder shook her head resolutely as she sidestepped the cat and walked out to the balcony, the slide window doors already being open. "It's the least I can do. I know she would try to do the same for us, for any of us," she bent down to pick up a pot from the floor, pulling it close to her chest and embracing it in her arms.

"Mako-chan?" Luna asked as she walked into the balcony after her and saw the way she was holding the pot with extreme carefulness. "How? I thought none of the plants could still be alive?"

"Of all of Mamoru's indoor plants, this is the only one that's survived" The tall girl answered. "It never gave up on the wish to see its caretaker return," she began fingering the green leaves tenderly. "This plant is a fighter. It believes in hope, as we should do," she sentenced with a nod, approvingly. "It'll make a good reminder. I will keep it"

"Mako-chan..." Luna looked up at her in awe, finally agreeing with her own whole-hearted nod not very long after. "Right"

* * *

To establish contact with the intended, er, "...contact", was something easier said than done.

"If Ron and I had ever thought talking to birds was difficult back in England, I'd have to ask him what he'd think of this Japanese girl now," Harry muttered through gritted teeth as he tried to keep up with the fast-moving blonde running right ahead, in a fit of frustration. He wasn't ready to let her know he was following her, quite yet, as he hadn't come up with a non-faulty way of getting to talk to her without without undesired results so far.

All previous attempts to engage her in polite conversation while she was on her way to school in the mornings had failed spectacularly. The first time, she'd immediately gulped and started waving her arms and hands wildly while squeaking "Can't English!", before running off like death itself was tailing her behind. Since he couldn't talk in even the most basic form of the local language, Harry found that he'd been quite lucky most people with whom he'd spoken here actually knew a small bit of his own native manner of speaking. Once he'd realized his mistake in assuming his intended Asian informant would be among them, he'd gone to request of the hotel clerk if he could teach him how to say "I need to talk to you about your Soldier business", or, "I know your true identity" in very simple Japanese. But the aforementioned "target" only seemed to think he was some sort of bilingual pervert or bloody barking lunatic, clearly not wanting anything to do with either.

Afterwards, he'd just accioed the hairs of some random quite young Japanese student he'd seen on the street one day, deciding to polyjuice as the child in what he thought was an easier way to induce the Tsukino girl's good favor. It had earned him a surprised look from the target on his third attempt, along with what he thought was a rude "go away" gesture, only ro realize some time later on, with the help of the same hotel clerk, that this was actually the Japanese way of beckoning someone over. No wonder she'd looked dumbfounded and perhaps even upset after watching him turn around in order to begin a slow and quiet departure.

Certainly he'd made a blunder labelling the whole idea as a bad job.

This was the reason why Harry was now completely giving up on his illustrious mother language altogether; having just remembered one of those nifty devices that Kingsley had mentioned and resolving to put it to much better use, rather than leave it stashed uselessly with the rest of his luggage —as he'd been doing until that time. Ironically, there was in the Wizarding world such a thing indeed as an artificial headset interpreter, specific for English-Japanese magical translation. You had only to put it on and then everything that you said, or that anyone else said to you, would i sound immediately to the ears of the recipient as if spoken in their own native tongue, without muggles being able to spot the strange device on your head or tell the real sound apart from the illusion. It was even charmed to become invisible when situations called it. Apparently some short-tempered and skilled wizard had grown so fed up once with the wider-than-the-Thames communication barrier, that he'd just pounded on it with his wand acting as the proverbial bat till it cracked and the designs of the headset had come stumbling out.

Talk about favourable Providence. His job might just have been made just a little tadbit easier after all. Soon, however, Harry decided that indulging in mental musings and private monologues with himself wouldn't get his task done for him any quicker. So it was that inhaling a big breath he proceeded to apply more speed to his feet after the rapidly vanishing female.

"Oi! Excuse me? ...Miss?"

The girl known as Usagi turned around and flinched notoriously upon spotting him, which made Harry flinch in return. There was no doubt that she had recognized him.

"You again? Stop it! I don't like being followed around!" she yelled back as she once more made a run for it, for all instances trying to leave him far behind. _'Doesn't like being followed around?'_ The boy thought. '_Does she mean it's more like a constant occurrence?'_

Filing this piece of information away for future analysis, Harry hurried after her. Looks were deceiving alright, for the frail looking lass had gotten quite the speed about her. How ever did she manage with those soft-looking, never ending delicate legs of hers? Watching her sprint towards school everyday, though amusing, hadn't helped to unveil that mystery. He might as well surreptitiously cast a Stunner, for the way things were headed it was obvious this was the only means to catch up with her. She was obviously full of beans even if her slender form belied that notion.

Fortunately for Harry, the manner in which her long golden tresses would shine under the sun was like a beacon of light guiding him to her at every moment.

"Wait! Don't run, Usagi! I just want to talk to you!" he reached out with an arm as he ran after, only to swiftly drop it back down, as he didn't know much about Japanese body language in order to prevent another misunderstanding. "Bollocks!"

"Nani! What do you mean with _'borokuso'_? ...Why do you know my name? The blonde told him without pausing, which made Harry frown and consider that perhaps the translation wasn't as good as he thought. "I don't know where Oroku Station is; that is somewhere within Okinawa!"

He then grimaced, checking mentally if he had forgotten any of the guidelines recommended for the use of the headset (which were the same ones for when talking with someone whose native language wasn't English) in order to get a proper magical translation:

Don't use irony.

Don't use negative questions.

Don't use idioms.

Keep your English as simple and direct as possible.

Jargon should be avoided, though it's the grammar that confuses more than the words.

When dealing with Japanese newly-met people, avoid getting into their personal space by keeping direct eye contact, because to them it looks aggressive and confrontational, particularly so with strangers.

Clearly, he'd already dropped a clanger by forgetting many of them, especially about the eye contact. But...'bollocks' translated as _'borokuso'_ and '_oroku_'? ...Really? As a matter of fact, was "bollocks" an example of British idiom or just slang?

He returned from his musings and felt a flush cover his face and ears as he became aware that other people on the street were looking at the two of them, with disconcerted expressions on their faces. This was a common happenstance from the first day he'd arrived in Japan. He had noticed the curious looks he had gotten and would continue to receive; due to his foreign features, most likely. The fact that he would always get that kind of attention at home didn't seem to help making him more comfortable about it. At the current time, he was getting more than ever because the two of them were unwittingly causing a scene.

However, soon both of them had to stop as they reached a dead end. Harry couldn't thank his lucky stars enough.

"Look, I just need to talk to you for a moment, alright? It's very serious," he told her when in a single breath when she whirled around to face him in a second, her eyes and body language quite like those of a trapped animal. Harry had learned that looks could be deceiving, and carefully eyed the way her small hands closed into fists. His own hands quickly made a placating gesture, which he hoped she wouldn't misinterpret.

He was truly rubbish at this reaching out to people thing; it was usually others trying to reach out to him, he admited, and not the other way around. "It's very important that you listen," he repeated as he fought to regain his breath after the long run. "...so please, just listen to me"

She only appeared to stare at him hesitantly. "Are you one of those pervert foreigners looking for a Japanese girl to have fun with?" she told him in a whisper. "If you are, you will probably find those kinds of girls at the Roppongi district," she offered with such a stoic face like she was talking about the weather instead of what he thought she was actually suggesting.

Harry willfully resisted the urge to feel affronted. She did not know him. On the other hand, anybody who claimed to have grown up under the tutelage of Albus Dumbledore would feel obligated to try to avoid taking things at face value, every once in a while; dismissing the carefully constructed pretension of calm to look for the deeper, subtle meanings.

It was when he consciously exercised the effort entailed in that type of keen observation that he took note of how scared and confused the person in front of him actually was. How terribly uncomfortable it made her just to bring that up; how she fought to repress and hide her emotions in the face of danger.

"...No. That was not it," he answered and coughed, feeling disturbed and deeply embarrassed for a number of different reasons. One of them being the mere implication alone that he'd go looking for one of _those_ girls would have given Mrs Weasley a cardiac arrest, as well as brought Hermione and Ginny to absolutely kill him.

"That was not, er... that was not what I had in mind at all," he repeated once again, for good measure. He brought up a hand to scratch at his temple because the headset had caused him to develop an itch. It was with bailed breath that watched as she raised her stare there and kept it intently on that place for all the time that he was rearranging the device on his head. He knew she wasn't supposed to be an ordinary muggle, that is, if she was a muggle at all. Was she actually able to see the ruddy thing?

"Then why have you been following me around so much the last few days?" The girl tilted her head to the side, at last. "And why did you act like you didn't speak any Japanese?" she seemed to have picked up on his own contrition and discomfort, and now sounded more curious than aggravated, her body losing some of its previous tension in response. "That kind of slyness can really upset a girl, don't you see?"

Perhaps to do with the fact that the long chase had left him winded, the thing is Harry gaped at her for a few moments before recovering. Her lecturing tone reminded him of Hermione's, if in a pouting, childishly _cuter_, less pushy variant. And it was possible his constant watch over her and her antics, for the most part of the last two weeks, had rather endeared her to him already, at some point, somehow. The thing was Harry couldn't stop sending a charming grin at her.

It had sounded like she was reprimanding him and, Merlin help him, he found that sort of situation familiar and _homely_ enough to make it as good place to start as any.

**To Be Continued.**

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**A/N: This may be not as long as the previous chapters, but I decided to cut on the chapters' length in order to be able to make updates at a faster pace. Credits go to _How-to (UK)_ and _Planet Tokyo -A Traveler's Guide to Japan_ which were key factors in providing the information I needed for this chapter (that's part of the reason this chapter took its time to come out). Go research! XP **


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Sailor Moon, they belong to J.K. Rowling and Naoko Takeuchi respectively.

**Chapter Four.**

"_Hey, isn't that Tsukino Usagi, from class five?"_

"_Yes, she is. I heard very unusual things about that girl..."_

"_Me too. They say that, last year, she completely disappeared for three weeks. The police had no leads as to where to find her."_

"_...Really? Where did she go?"_

"_No one knows. She claims she doesn't recall."_

"_Isn't that odd?"_

"_I bet she ran off with a secret lover or something!"_

"_Heh, that's a very gullible thought. Only a kid would believe that kind of romantic nonsense"_

"_Grrr. That's not true! What would you say it was, then?"_

"_Um, well. Some in her year are saying she got an abortion, and her parents made up all that cover-up story that she 'd suddenly gone missing"_

"_My gosh! That's a very nasty rumor!"_

The odango-haired girl sighed. What a way to start that day's morning.

It was cold and cloudy outside.

By this time, Tsukino Usagi was mostly used to this type of thing; hearing people murmuring behind her back, whispering. It'd been the same ever since she came back to school, and it'd been a lot harder at the beginning of her current school year. It also used to give her a lot of grief.

But gradually, with Naru and Umino-kun's most valuable help and friendship, she'd managed to keep her head held high no matter what outrageous lies others made up about her; so to speak. But if it wasn't the lies, then it was the suspicions, the wondering and the pitying looks... As if the ones she'd received from her own family hadn't been hurtful enough.

It was unfair to demand that she reply questions which she didn't have the answers for.

Thankfully, this was no longer a daily occurrence. People had finally began to get used to it now, months later, and didn't make her the victim of their favourite gossip as often, anymore.

She'd thought it'd be over, that she'd soon start to recover some semblance of peace and dettached oblivion; until _'he'_ came, and started rummaging with the contents of her fractured mind.

The meeting on the street, earlier that morning. That person...

Not for the first time that day, her thoughts went back to that awkward foreign boy. What did that person have to do with anything? ...Where did he come from? ... what did he want?

So it was that, just like that, she was back full circle to where it all originated. Back to the emptiness of the beginning. She hadn't wanted to be harsh and downright say it to him then, but it was his fault; his fault, that she was developing a headache. That she couldn't go numb, as she'd sacrificed her calm and entire peace of mind for the day. Interrogated. Made to think about things that confused her and which she'd rather forget about.

What was it to him?

Thrown back into a sea of neverending doubts and past mysteries, under the close watch of those merciless, unfathomable green eyes. Irked beyond her usual gentle nature, the blond girl huffed.

_'Made me late to school again. That foreign guy ...what a nuisance...'_

_

* * *

_

Harry Potter sat on the bed in his hotel room, thinking. The conversation he'd had with the Tsukino girl had not been satisfying.

**Flashback.**

"_So __―__" the English boy leaned forward, adjusting the magical headset translator as he began; "__―__ you're basically saying you don't have recollection of anything from the last two years... absolutely nothing?"_

"_Yes..." the Asian girl answered uncertainly, unsure of why he was invading her __personal space, and why needed her to repeat herself. "Some times I get dreams; some times strange feelings and... sensations. Like there was something important I should know, but I don't know what it means..."_

_Harry repressed the urge to sigh in disappointment. "Indeed," he muttered. The girl flinched._

"_Gomen nasai. I'm sorry I can not be of much help..."_

"_That's alright. It's not your fault, I guess," Harry told her vaguely, looking down for a while before raising his stare back and pining her with all the force of his intransigent, vibrant-green-eyed gaze. "But are you sure you don't have any idea who could have done this to you? Someone you knew, from before, that you might remember?" _

_Usagi's own eyes were open wide. "I would only raise your hopes up in vain if I answered that. There is no detail enough in my memory to properly respond to that question. I really don't know what could have happened to Chiba Mamoru-san"_

_Now Harry was a bit aghast. "...You... you really don't remember him, ...do you? He was__―__ I mean; wasn't he supposed to be your fiance?"_

"_...I..."_

"_Sorry. I__―__ ", Harry shook his head. "Never mind. I didn't mean to pry into your private business"_

"_It's fine," the girl whispered bitterly. "You must believe I have no feelings..." Before Harry could figure out what she meant, the blonde picked up her stuff and stood up. "It's very late, I must say goodbye to you now, Potter-san. ...I'm sorry I can't do more to help you find your friend, it must be painful to have lost him like that."_

_Harry almost blinked. Oh... right; his "friend"... He nodded, recalling the lie he'd been forced to tell her at the beginning, pretending he was an old friend of Mamoru's so that the elusive girl would agree to sit down with him for a small chat. Not for the first, or last time, he cursed his lack of skills in Legilimency._

_As he watched her go with a frown, the Boy-Who-Lived reasoned that any casual observer who'd been watching the recent conversation might have deemed the girl quite uncaring; if it were not for the utterly hollow expression,__that could be very evident, if one bothered to stare at her hard __enough__._

**End flashback.**

Harry would have never considered himself a superhero.

Looking at the spandex-wearing, muscle-flaunting figures in some of Dudley's old comic books, he would never have identified himself with what a superhero was supposed to look like. Quite on the contrary. However, he did feel he could better relate to everyday, regular people who were forced to don the hero's shoes somewhat frecuently: firefighters, lifeguards, rescuers, emergency doctors, policemen... People who, much too often, weren't given the proper recognition for the work they did _every single day_ of their lives.

Regular people.

No matter what most of the Wizarding World might think, he didn't think there was something all that special about him.

And, in spite of what he'd seen in Dumbledore's memories ―which had been, in fact, Chiba Mamoru's memories―, he didn't think Usagi fit the role of superhero any better than he did.

Hero; may be... but "s_uper_"?

...It was hard to believe this girl was the same that appeared in the swirling images that had long ago been stored inside that pensieve. That girl, _Sailor Moon_, seemed to shine with an_ inner light _the likes of which Harry had never seen. However, the girl that had been sitting in front of him appeared to do so much more deemly;_ like a thick, invisible blanket had been thrown all over her, obscuring her glow..._

Catching those last fleeting thoughts, Harry again was surprised by the almost "lyrical" tone his musings had adopted lately, quite more and more often. But he was digressing.

_Usagi Tsukino... _

One name that, in the span of one single month, had quite possibly brought forth as much chaos to Harry's life as Voldemort and Dumbledore put together. She was a walking, breathing challenge to his skills of comprehension, and to everything that he'd ever known. A petite, fragile, easily intimidated mountain of mysteries and blonde paradoxes, Luna Lovegood notwithstanding ―and, had he forgotten to mention she actually owned a cat named _'Luna' _too? (Which was _not_ a Japanese name... The coincidence would have been mind-shattering if it hadn't been so unnerving).

Just attempting to communicate with the girl had been somewhat of a big dilemma. After many misunderstandings, followed by yet another revealing conversation with the infamous but smart Japanese clerk that worked at his hotel, later on; Harry thought he had a pretty close appeciation of what really was happening.

It wasn't just that Usagi couldn't understand his western sarcasm. It was the fact that she simply _wouldn't_.

This, Harry thought was an unexpected; surprising kind of choice. And, if Harry was made to venture another guess as to _why_...

It was because, according to her (and possibly to other Japanese people...logically), to indulge so openly, and freely, in such simplistic sarcasm with a complete stranger would have been unthinkable. Therefore, to see a stranger, western or otherwise, making those sorts of comments _in public _would've looked nothing short of appalling.

Simplistic, open sarcasm was often taken as a witty, "friendly" form of ice-breaker in the West. In some parts of the East, it just wasn't the way of the honest, polite and well-mannered people behaved in public society. It would have made you look like you were openly sly, two-faced and dishonest; capable of downright lying in public, by saying the opposite of what you truly felt; uncaring of how it could mislead others.

Which could eventually turn you into a social _pariah_.

Likewise, proving yourself capable of detecting a stranger's sarcasm on the spot wasn't something to be usually proud of. On the contrary, it could make you look like you were always expecting the worse from others, denying them the benefit of the doubt. '_Polite _people', here, was a similar concept, but not identical, to the _'old'_ british one of '_civilized_ people' (if that old muggle author by the name of 'Jane Austen' was to be trusted). _"Polite"_ people just _didn't_ call out stranger on their rudeness so easily; because, to do so, would be running a risk of making a mistake and loose face as a consequence, if by chance you had gotten it wrong. It could mean degrading oneself to such a level.

Henceforth, they just didn't. Not unless they felt that the rudeness was blatantly open, forward and unavoidable, unquestionable. In other words, not unless there was absolutely no chance of misunderstanding―something which, in their rules of polite behavior, the case of a stranger's sarcasm should not, usually, apply.

Even more so, to behave in obvious snarky ways with a stranger would have been seen as disgracefully bad-mannered; or childish. For many Japanese, to behave in such a way with a person whom you'd just met and wanted to impress would have been so improper and rude that it was _simply_ out of consideration. Therefore, they didn't expect it in others.

Harry concluded that Japanese people perhaps were much too troubled with what other people thought; however, if he was honest with himself, he'd admit it was only natural for him to think so; that he'd harbor such a belief, given his past _'love-one-day-hate-the-next'_ relationship with the very much accosting Wizarding Media.

As a result; since one couldn't be sarcastic without being cynical, but one could surely be cynical without being sarcastic; so it was that Harry Potter said goodbye to his newly-beloved chewing tool; sarcasm.... All in favour of improving the interactions with his new acquaintance.

If he could really call Usagi that yet.

The problem was, he didn't know where to put her. The way he had felt when he'd been around her was complicated.

Strange.

Be as it may, his top priority was to keep an eye on the girl and watch out for trouble, and get her to remember as soon as possible, so that she could explain out to him this intricated, tangled mess that the two of them had uncomfortably been thrown into.

Apparently, Voldemort's death was not quite the end of it. It was clear Dumbledore had at some point wanted for Harry to at least meet up with this girl.

But the real issue here was, for what purpose?

* * *

Mizuno Ami, surprisingly, didn't feel like studying.

She didn't know whether it was the cold weather, the cloudy sky, the sibilant murmur of the students in class around her, or the gaze of the brown haired girl that had been covertly staring at her for a while, from the distance, what brought such an odd expectant mood upon her.

Kino Makoto.

What was the girl's motive?

In the two years since the taller girl had transfered to her school, Ami couldn't think of one time when the two of them had spoken. Yet there she always was, staring at Ami, like she knew something which she knew for certain that Ami knew not. It was such an unexplainable, such a weird feeling.

As the genius prodigy she was known as, the blue-haired girl was used to other students staring at her with unproperly disguised wonder, envy, respect, and sometimes fascination. But it was not envy or fascination what she saw in the eyes of Kino Makoto...

It was saddness and... longing...?

The thought was enough to cover the genius girl's white skin in a deep blush. _Why_ would another girl be staring at her with _longing_? Ami had several times heard rumors about female students who'd have crushes on other female students, but it was somewhat rare, and often made fun of. She would never have counted herself among such a group, and if it had been her, she would have surely made certain people other than the two of them didn't notice...

She wouldn't have stared at the object of her affections so blatantly!

...But, what if she had misunderstood? What if the taller girl was staring with longing at her only because she longed to be able to do well in school like Ami? Ami tried to remember if she'd ever heard about Kino Makoto being a poor school student. She could think of a few times when she'd casually heard her schoolmate being scolded for bad grades by the teacher, but nothing that would point towards that situation being anything above the usual and ordinary for any other classmate.

Still, if it was truly being so, Ami couldn't help but feel sorry for the outspoken, strong girl. Even though she, like many others, had been a bit weary of Makoto when she'd first transferred; mindful of her rather fierce and rebellious appearance, combined with the excited rumors circulating concerning the expulsion from her previous school for fighting; this was one impression she'd quickly discarded this last year, after witnessing Makoto's close friendship with Aino Minako. Aino Minako was a rather ditsy, bubbly blonde who often caused a ruckus in the school for the most bizarre reasons; but she was lovable and trustworthy.

Ami had always liked Aino Minako. She had a view of right and wrong that she admired, and she secretly envied her stubborn but unwavering, outgoing disposition. If Mina had chosen to hang out with Makoto, then Ami tought this meant Makoto probably was worth befriending.

* * *

Harry knew it was not a good idea. He hadn't been to a muggle school in so long, how was he supposed to find his way around it, let alone inside a Japanese highschool? But it was necessary if he was to serve his purpose of keeping an eye on that girl, Usagi. He did not like having to resort to such risky measures as forging more muggle papers, or taking advantage of the unsuspectful teachers and staff; he wasn't exactly proud of it; but he'd do it, if need be.

He needed answers, and he needed them soon. Harry wasn't about to give up and go home now that he'd actually made some progress towards finding out what was truly happening here.

With this in mind, he'd been allowed into the school director's office. A big plump man who looked at him with hesitation highlighting his features.

"Mr... Potter, was it?" he began in slow, broken English. "I'm sorry to say this but we do not have any reports about the arrival of a British exchange student in our records.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, sir;tThere must have been some misunderstanding. But let me assure you that, yes; as a matter of fact, you do," Harry smiled reassuringly at the man as he carefully and surrepticiously handed his wand.

"_Confundo!_"

* * *

Usagi was bored and sleepy already when the teacher, Mr Hashidoi, was called to the office to discuss an unexpected matter with the director.

"Wonderful..." she yawned sonorously with relief as she carefully laid her head back on the table, on top of her folded arms. "This means I can get away with a little sleep for a little while―"

"...U... ...Usagi-san?" Hearing the hesitant call, Usagi repressed the urge to bang her head on the desk in complete irritation.

"_Hmmmmmmmmmmmm._..no..._.._what now....? Can't you see I'm sleeping? Or trying to... anyway?" The amused giggle that followed her mumbled protest made the sleepy girl open her eyes. When she saw who was talking to her, she immediately got up. "Oh. Um, sorry, Aino-san!" she exclaimed, embarrased. "I didn't realize it was you"

Minako's eyes filled with resignation and regret at hearing her princess and former best friend call her by her surname. She'd never get used to the way Usagi treated her so formally now.

"Usagi-san, I'm sorry to disturb you. Is it okay if we talk for a while?"

"Um, yes, of course," the odango-haired girl said unsure. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I am sorry I didn't meet you earlier this morning"

"...Huh?"

"I will usually meet up with you as we are heading for school in the morning, but lately I've been sick with the flu and I didn't come. I'm sorry, I didn't make you company on the walk to school this time"

"Ah...Oh! It's alright, Minako-san! It's not right that you take so much trouble over me," the other blonde said.

Mina ignored her hurt at the way Usagi was acting so distant. It wasn't her fault. Even today, four months after her coming back to school, She was still feeling overwhelmed and hesitant.

She gathered her courage and sat down, regarding her princess with a warm smile.

"I was wondering if you'd like to hang out after school today? There's a new bakery shop down the street that I wanted to check, and since I know you like cakes..."

Usagi blinked uncertaingly. She tilted her head to one side. "Did we use to go hang out after school... before?" she asked, curious. "When you... knew me?" Mina tried to reign on her emotions and nodded.

"We used to go window-shopping together all the time"

"I see..." Usagi said in a small whisper.

"It-it's okay, Usagi-chan. I know you'll remember sometime―," the other girl put a hand over mouth. "Oh! Sorry! ...I know I probably have no right to call you that"

"No, it's okay. I like it when you call me that," Usagi smiled back. "Even if I don't remember you, it feels like I have two more friends in you and Makoto-san"

Minako smiled at her and nodded once more.

"You will always have a friend in us, Usagi-chan," she said with resolve, taking both of the odango-haired girl's hands. "we'll stick by you always, no matter what," Usagi flushed a bit, shocked, being unprepared for that.

"Thank you, Minako-san"

Before anything else could be added, the voice of their teacher, Hashidoi-sensei, interrupted ttheir conversation as it was heard returning back to the classroom.

Both of the girls' heads turned in that direction.

"I don't know how it was that I wasn't informed, I apologize... I hope you feel comfortable in our country and at our school," the silver haired teacher said with polite formality as both he and another student entered the class.

A foreign, western, green-eyed student.

"Everyone, please give a warm welcome to the new foreign exchange student..."

Minako turned towards Usagi sharply as she heard her loud surprised gasp.

"_...Harry Potter-san..."_

**To Be Continued.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon. I am neither, and I'm writing this just for fun, not for profit. _

**Chapter Five.**

"Look at those weird eyeglasses..." one guy whispered too loudly in Japanese; perhaps thinking that Harry wouldn't be able to understand him.

"Just what we need, another nerd. And this time, _British_!" someone else joked, and a good bunch of people sniggered a bit geekishly, while the rest of them looked on at that particular group with an embarrassment that was quite evident.

Though Harry was still feeling a bit nervous, he couldn't hide his snort at this.

"Quiet," the teacher ordered, but his callback to attention didn't have much lasting effects, as the students re initiated their comments soon enough.

"Those look like John Lennon's glasses!" some girl pointed out excitedly. "Hn, more like Umino Gurio's glasses," was one of the boys' sarcastic reply, which left the aforementioned girl blushing. Before she could retort, another girl asked her aloud. "Do you think he'll be able to play good music?"

"If it's in a foreign language, what difference does it make? Not even _'yellow cabs'_ would be able to understand it," the same guy from before answered as he folded his arms behind his head in an air of superiority. "W...Why... _you?_" the girl spluttered, red faced, "..._that _was very uncalled for!"

The offender recoiled and shrank back when he saw all the female population in the classroom —and an interesting portion of the male population— glaring daggers at him for that unfortunate indiscretion. "You at the back, _be silent_!" Mr Hashidoi appeared to have decided that enough was enough.

Harry had to wonder what the term "yellow cab" even meant.

Shrugging, he listened to the teacher's scolding and then proceedings to make the necessary introductions, while his eyes roamed the class looking for the Tsukino girl, Usagi.

Then he found her.

She was sitting a few rows at the back, staring back at him. Harry felt something weird in his gut. and he felt his face grow red when his green eyes clashed with her blue ones.

_Busted?_

She looked at him with such suspicion that she even narrowed her eyes. There was such perplexity in her face that Harry had to contain a grin.

That girl could be amusing without even trying.

He immediately shook his head. He'd better concentrate on the task at hand.

"... and I expect you all" he heard Mr Hashidoi was saying, "to be courteous and treat him with the politeness owed to a welcomed guest"

_'...Guest'_?

He hoped he wouldn't be having to stay here for that long. He longed to go back to England back to his loved ones...

And to Ginny... ...may be.

As much as he had wanted to go to her the day of the final battle, Harry felt she had needed her space as much as he had once needed his. The deaths of Tonks and her older brother had been Ginny's first intimate confrontations with real loss. The truth was, it had been easier to talk to Ron about what had happened to Fred Weasley, but his and Ginny's discussion about everything that had occurred was one that was still pending.

They hadn't had quite the chance to talk much in those chaotic thirty days that had come after, and right then, when things had begun to settle down finally, Harry had once again been swept away from her by circumstance, forced to depart from England in a project _solo_ and wondering why in Merlin's name it was that he had even consented, when it was high time he was granted some peace and quiet.

Yet, at the same time, a powerful feeling —curiosity?— was what had brought him here, to the other side of the world, preventing him from returning so far. He wanted to get to the bottom of this. On behalf of his own peace of mind.

Subjecting himself to the disconcerting experience of muggle high school was something he'd never contemplated doing before today, and it was more awkward than he'd felt in years... But he had to find answers to the questions raised by Dumbledore's pensieve, if the peace they had all so hardly fought for was truly meant to last.

Letting out a small sigh, Harry's gaze wandered, ending back on Usagi quite soon enough. When his eyes caught her, he had to contain another grin, making an instant pause in his thoughts.

It had to be admited, with her mouth open like that, muttering curses like in a silent movie; the mild-mannered blond girl was looking rather cute.

The Savior did laugh to himself this time. As far away from home as he was, he still was sure keeping tabs on that trouble-magnet bundle of naïveté would provide for enough entertainment in the long run.

* * *

"Hello..." the boy with the lightning-bolt scar said, approaching the girl with the twin buns on either side of her head hesitantly, as soon as they both had a free period.

"I... er, didn't expect to find you here too. What a coincidence, indeed... huh?" The blonde turned to face him so fast that he was caught off-guard.

"Harry Potter-san," she growled with her hands fisted, an action that made him involuntarily cringe. Neither had he thought the usually soft-hearted youth could pull off such a menacing look. Because of the way she had struggled so hard to ignore him during the whole class period, he just hadn't expected her to turn around on her heels and confront him just like that.

"What on earth are you doing here!" All of a sudden, she was standing high on her tiptoes to reach up to his level and narrow her eyes at him, fiercely. "What is your purpose for being here?"

At his lack of response, she went on. "Potter-san, I don't appreciate being lied to. You haven't been honest with me at all"

Taken by surprise, Harry looked at her stunned.

"U-um... haven't I?" he mumbled, unintelligently.

"You've made a mockery of me," the girl said in anger, her hands firmly on her hips. "Didn't you know how many students saw us together many times over last week, when you were following me? I've already lost count of how many girls have come to ask me if I was dating you or something!"

"R-...really?" Harry said with an uncomfortable grimace, clearly at his wits' end. "I... I'm sorry"

_Oh, for the love of... Merlin's bollocks! _

_He hadn''t thought of a possibility like that... As a matter of fact, he hadn't thought of a possibility like that at all._

"That wasn't my purpose," he tried —in vain— to placate the truly infuriated young girl.

"Not only did you avoid telling me you were starting school here," she continued, "at the same place I was attending, but now you've thrown me back into the rumor mill!" The blonde let out in a hiss. Unexpectedly she backed away to stare around helplessly at some of the students watching over at the two of them, as if just then realizing she was making it worse by talking to him at all.

"Er... sorry about that"

Ignoring him completely, Usagi kept looking around in dread and biting her lip. With a hand to her temple, she closed her eyes in defeat and felt all the energy leave her body as she loudly bemoaned her terrible luck.

"It's not fair! Just when they had started to actually forget about me..."

Harry was trying to comprehend what she was she was going on about. In an effort to get her attention so he could ask her to clarify, he cleared his throat several times, repeatedly.

"Excuse me?"

The voice reminding her of the western boy still standing behind her, she threw him an utterly frustrated look from over her shoulder.

"You... foolish, foolish boy. So tactless!" she sighed dramatically for effect as she shook her head, slumping her shoulders and looking down to the floor in resignation. "Ugh! Boys can be so clueless sometimes!" she whined.

Harry looked on, still not understanding much of it, but feeling himself grow amused again at her theatrics. She kind of made him think of an odd combination between Hermione —due to that irritated comment about clueless boys—, and Luna —due to the way she'd just seemed to be off in her own little world—, mumbling to herself like he wasn't even there present.

At his stare, he noticed that the flustered girl tried to lower her guard and relax.

Usagi was thinking quickly. It would do no good to take her frustration out on him; now would it? Taking a big breath, she stood up straight and attempted to force an indulgent, charming smile on her lips.

"I suppose it's not your fault, because you're just a foreigner, but..." she asked, tilting her head to the side and giving him that trying-to-be-humorous-and-tolerant smile, "try to stay out of trouble next time... alright?"

Thrown off balance, Harry noted the smile was sincere despite the fact that it was mostly fabricated, before she turned around and began to leave.

"Wait," she stood still when she felt the raven-haired exchange student grab for her arm. As she slowly turned back to stare at him, surprised, he realized what he'd done and immediately let go; flushing slightly, as if burned. "I, I, er... I'm sorry" he said at last, though he did not know exactly why he was apologizing.

Usagi continued to stare, mystified and with a question in her blue eyes, until she heard her friend Naru calling for her.

"Usagi-chan! Are you coming?"

The blonde opened her mouth and closed it many times, unsure. She only stared at him, blinking, for a while, until Naru repeated her call.

"Usagi...?" the curly-haired student approached the two carefully, eyeing the male student her friend was with and looking from one to the other curiously.

"Naru-chan..." the addressed one squeaked, biting her lip uncomfortably. "Do you… remember Harry Potter-san?"

"Oh, yes. Nice to meet you," Naru nodded to the foreign-exchange student, whom she'd already seen back in class when the teacher, Mr Hashidoi, had introduced him. Noticing the way her friend was wriggling her hands nervously, she stared at her hard. "Is everything alright?"

"Huh?" Not expecting that question, the other girl gazed back at her startled.

Naru raised an eyebrow.

For a moment, the pig-tailed young woman felt torn between shrugging it off and actually confiding in her friend the way this strange foreigner had taken to stalk her lately. But she suspected the last one wouldn't bode well for her in the end, thus she soon changed her mind.

"Yes. Everything's okay"

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"No!" Before the black-hared boy could say anything the blue-eyed girl squealed immediately, blushing. "No, no... Naru-chan. Why would you even think that?" she asked between nervous giggles.

Naru looked skeptical.

"Fine," she grumbled, arms folded in front of her as she looked at Usagi and her male companion in a bit of defiance. "Usagi, I told Umino-kun we would meet him for lunch on the rooftop. ...Are you coming with us?"

"Oh! Uh" The blonde turned back to Harry hesitantly. She appeared unsure of what she should do, whether she should stay and listen to whatever he'd been about to say, or go along with her female friend instead. Picking up on that emotion, Harry smiled her and then at Naru with a light shrug.

"Urm. That's alright, um, Miss Tsukino" he told the young woman meaningfully, trying to convey that the formality was to help dispel at least some of the gossip. "We can pick up this conversation later" As she was still looking surprised and uncertain, he added in a questioning tone, "I mean... if that is what you want"

She looked at him for an entire minute in silence, and then slowly acquiesced with a nod.

Soon enough, she was walking away with Naru.

Harry watched the two friends as they left, all the while repeating to himself the mantra he'd started associating with the blonde in his head .

'_Strange, strange, utterly confusing girl...'_

He hoped they did have the chance speak to each at some point, later.

* * *

Naru Osaka was studying her best friend intently as the two began to walk away. Usagi seemed awfully silent today. For the life of her, Naru couldn't figure out what it was that could've made her so. Though, the more she thought about it, the more suspicious she grew that it might have to do with that exchange student.

The English man, whom she'd actually seen her talking with.

Naru shook her head. First it'd been the Three Lights and then that Suzu Nyanko girl, last year. Just what was it with Usagi and foreign students?

They all seemed to gravitate around her rather sooner than later.

"Usagi, is something wrong?"

The blond turned to her blinking, attempting an innocent face, but the green eyed girl wasn't fooled. Her friend's cheeks had a pink hue. "Um, no... why do you say that, Naru-chan?"

Naru frowned at her displeased. She knew Usagi was hiding something...

Again.

Something secretive which she couldn't, or perhaps just wouldn't, share. Again. And then again, it was no novelty. Those kinds of secrets had been a constant presence in their friendship for at least two years... hadn't they? Looming over their heads like an ominous cloud, in spite of how much they fought not to acknowledge its existence.

They'd used to be like sisters, knowing everything about each other. Now she didn't feel like she knew much about the girl standing before her.

Usagi had been... changing a lot these last few years.

Sometimes she felt that, even though she'd somehow recovered most of her old friend back in the last six months, on occasions she seemed to be far, far away, where Naru couldn't follow. Out of her reach.

She didn't think it was all fault of those three missing weeks either.

More like an entire lifetime.

–

"So...you come from England, right?" one of the male students asked him at some point during the rest of the recess. Harry looked warily at the effeminate bloke, but relaxed; he seemed friendly enough.

"Yes... Sort of"

The bloke smiled. "My name's Izou Saitou," he said, . "I used to be a frequent visitor to the United Kingdom a few years ago," he made a noncommittal gesture as he added. "Family business"

Harry nodded.

"It's a pleasure to meet a British man who's doing us the honour of visiting our ancestral land," he said with formal politeness, despite of which Harry thought he sensed a barely concealed sense of inquiry in the other, who made a gesture of cocking his head to the side and offered him a bland handshake. "How are you finding our fine country?"

Harry looked from their precariously shaken hands up to the curly-haired guy in dismay. A Japanese admirer of the British culture and finesse, who apparently wanted to practice his newly acquired Western mannerisms with 'him'.

Oh Merlin... ...why?

Polite etiquette. He'd never been into that sort of thing.

He didn't want to appear uncouth, but right now he didn't have the the time or patience to start exchanging pleasantries. Besides, it had always rather been a prerogative of people like the Malfoys, and not him.

"Interesting, I think" He answered with a wry sincere smile, nonetheless. "Can't really say I'm not a bit overwhelmed though. I'm afraid this is the first time I stray so far away from home," he answered quickly and vaguely.

He'd just spotted the Tsukino girl walking by with her friend, and turned back to the bloke, Izou, as he fought back a groan. "Um. I don't want to seem rude but, would you excuse me?"

The somewhat effeminate Izou raised both of his eyebrows. His eyes followed the direction that Harry's previously had taken, zeroing in on the odango-haired girl that was almost around the corner, and noted the way she turned one time to check on the two of them, curiously.

Raising both eyebrows again, the guy turned back to Harry with a frown. His eyes searched Harry's for the longest time, as if looking for something. When he appeared to have found it, he seemed to relax.

"Oh... I see"

Harry grew uncomfortable and it was his turn to frown aggressively at him. "I'm sorry?"

With his hands in his pockets, the guy shrugged.

"It's not a big deal, Potter-kun. Quite a few male students in this school seem to find Tsukino-san lovely..." he raised another eyebrow, grinning, as he continued, "in spite of the rumors"

Harry stared at him. Then stared some more.

"...Rumors?"

'_And I thought _Hogwarts_ had a big problem'_

The enigmatic smirk marring the other boy's features irritated him beyond measure. It was clear he wasn't going to answer.

Instead, the Izou guy chose to say something rather different in its place. "Planning to steal one of the school's prettiest girls away from us?" he asked, cocking his head, but Harry wasn't fooled.

The tone was anything but casual.

"...I'm afraid you've misunderstood," Harry was starting to become truly irritated with this guy. "I've already got a girlfriend back home, you see..." he trailed off when he realized Izou was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Honestly, it was frightening how this Asian bloke, whom he'd just had met, could act so strikingly Western... without actually being Western.

"Er... How many times you have you been to England, again?" the former Boy-Hero blurted out awkwardly.

The guy chuckled. "Often enough," he made a light bow —as was the Western or the Japanese custom, this time Harry didn't know— hands back in his pockets.

Then, to Harry's surprise, he turned around and slowly —but deliberately— started walking away. For the second time in the last few hours , Harry looked on in confusion._'What is it with these people going away after saying something cryptic?'_

That was when he saw the Izou guy paused.

"Stay away from her, if you know what's good for you" Harry's eyes flashed at the tone with which these words were delivered.

"See you later... ...Potter-san"

Harry was left there, standing at the back of the classroom, warning bells ringing madly in his mind as he wondered what that had all been about.

However, he did recognize a threat when he saw —or _heard_— one.

"What a day…"

* * *

Back in England, a familiar redheaded male was reading Hermione Granger's most recent letter, looking outside his bedroom window at the same time while deep in thought.

"Harry, mate," he murmured in a low whisper. "Where in the bloody hell are you?"

**To Be Continued. **


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon, I'm not making any profit from this story._

**Chapter Six.**

Harry found he missed Ron and Hermione terribly. It was strange to be confronting any kind of danger or mystery without either of them standing by his side.

He found himself growing quite irritated. So far, he thought he'd been doing exactly what he thought Dumbledore had been expecting of him, the moment he'd left those memories in that pensieve with the instructions that they be delivered in Harry's hands some time after his death. Harry had also sort of expected that, once he arrived in Japan, the Headmaster's posthumous plan would begin to gradually unravel, just as it had occurred months prior with the Gryffindor sword, the Horcruxes and Snape himself.

It was something of a predictable setback that Dumbledore's portrait was not to be consulted upon this matter, as its only response had been that all answers lay with Snape's portrait, which had only just been commissioned and would not be ready for another few months. One would think that Harry would have learned his lesson after the Deathly Hallows.

Speaking of the Hallows, sometimes he wondered if he should have just gone and brought the Elder Wand to Japan with him, despite his previous intentions to leave it be, buried within the old mentor's tomb. What was even worse was that he did not even know what he was truly up against this time. In the meanwhile, he supposed, would just continue to stay by and be amazed by all the cultural differences this Japanese school had to offer to the foreigner's eye.

First of all, unlike Hogwarts, he found it was the teachers rather than the students who walked up to the different classrooms. Classes lasted around forty five minutes each, and once they were over, they had a recess of fifteen minutes in between. The school structure kept students in the same classroom all day long, with a tutor-group teacher or homeroom teacher of sorts assigned to each particular classroom. At lunch time, Harry noticed that most students had brought their own food from home in lunchboxes ('_bentos_', they were called), apparently prepared by their mothers (whenever they did have mothers, anyway) and usually eaten inside the classroom (along with the homeroom teacher) and places like that because there wasn't anything like a canteen so to speak.

A few friendly-looking girls had even offered to share some of their food with Harry, but he had politely declined. He'd done this in order to be able to follow Usagi out to the courtyard, where the girl had been approached by that wave-haired classmate (Naru, was it?) and then, later on, that Izou guy had showed up.

Speaking of whom, he didn't know whether he was supposed to take that bloke's threat seriously or not. The clerk at Harry's hotel, J. Taitou (he'd finally managed to learn the man's name), had said it was possible people at first might seem to be engaging him in conversation just to practice their English language with a native speaker; and as the day had gone by, quite accordingly, Harry had found that statement to be indeed accurate, as Izou Saitou certainly hadn't been the only person to approach him initially on those terms.

The lad had practically shown up out of nowhere, and now he was nowhere to be seen. Harry had tried looking for the guy all over the place, to no avail. It was like he'd simply vanished into thin air, right after their little chat. Harry didn't want to get ahead of himself and over the top with suspicions that there could be some sort of funny connection, yet he still thought he could not but consider the odds as not so odd indeed.

He might as well keep his eyes both wide open.

* * *

/

"I don't get what's up with that guy," Minako told Makoto in a mutter as they both crept behind some bushes on the farthest corner of the schoolyard, spying on the aforementioned 'intruder' a few meters away with rapt attention. "Just where on earth did he come from?"

"Minako-chan... you don't think there's a chance he might be a time-traveller like Chibiusa, do you?" Makoto wondered with a hand to her chin, deep in some musings. "Usagi's newest child from the future, perhaps? I hope not," she sighed, her eyes glazing over, "...he's kinda good-looking"

"Wha-?" the blonde blinked, a bit started. Straightening up, she turned to glare at her friend heatedly. "Arg, Mako-chan! This isn't the time to be thinking about stuff like that!"

"Usagi doesn't look like she'd be minding all that much," Makoto said, still staring at Harry, who was too busy staring up at the rooftop of the school building, trying to catch some glimpse of Usagi and Naru, to be able to notice. "Also, did you see the way she reacted when he made to grab her arm?"

"I don't know if we can take it to mean all that much," Mina answered matter-of-factly as she perused at the boy in question, the back of her hands resting on her hips and her head tilted to one side as she pursed her lips. "We can't exactly say this guy's special or something, with the way the Usagi-chan that we knew used to react to most cute guys that happened to cross her path."

"It wasn't like she was the only one," Mako agreed with a small smile, though somewhat a bit chagrined.

"You can say that again," Minako giggled in amusement, nodding, and the two friends laughed.

"Truth be told, it was enough to make some people believe she wasn't all that taken!"

"That's Usa-chan for you. Being with Mamoru-san certainly didn't make her blind!"

Mako whistled, arms bent behind her head. "Still; don't you think perhaps we should try to prevent this escalating any further?" she murmured with a frown. "Like a repetition of what happened last year with Sei-...er, I mean, Sailor Star Fighter?" she blushed at both the slip and the subject.

Minako glanced at her sideways. "Aw, you want to keep this new guy all to yourself; don't you, Mako-chan?" she asked in a sing-song voice, nudging her companion and regarding her through half-lidded eyes.

Taking in her expression, Makoto had to laugh. "I don't think I'd appreciate all that much if that guy turned out to be half-girl, truthfully," the pony-tailed soldier admitted rather nervously, still managing to follow the joke.

"Well, I might not mind so much provided he stays under that _wonderful_ current disguise of his... Most of the time, at least," the naughty blonde swooned. "But...," she suddenly turned all-business. "First thing's first!" she exclaimed, rolling up her sleeves. "No matter how cute he is; first we find out who he is... and then, and only _then_, we date him!" At this point, she was raising her fist up in determination.

Makoto blinked. That certainly worked to snap her back to reality. With a bump.

"'_We_'?" she asked her blond friend inquisitively, thinking she couldn't have heard right. "You mean, as in... both of us?"

"Why not? Don't you think it's a good idea?" the blonde asked her friend curiously. Makoto's left eye twitched.

"A-Are you serious?"

"Why, of course!" the blonde latched onto her friend's arm, clearly excited at her own idea. "None of us has ever dated a foreigner before!" she explained with a giddy grin. "Mako-chan, this isn't the time to be selfish!" she reprimanded, pointing her index finger up as her eyes blazed like shooting stars.

She suddenly started jumping all over like a three-year-old on a sugar high.

"Er... Bu-bu-bu-BUT! As in, 'share' this guy... the two of us... _with each other_?" Makoto attempted to clarify, resisting the hyper blonde's attempts to pull her along as she bounced.

"But, Mako-chan! We've never dated an alien; this may be our only chance!" Mina put her hands together, begging with puppy eyes. "Besides," she stopped in order to intertwine her arm with the other girl's. "Just look at us!" she gestured between them. "Two cuties like us... two Japanese hotties... we could have that western guy on his knees, eating from the palm of our hands, in no time! And _then_, we'll get whatever information we want out of him!"

"Huh. R-Right," the soldier of Jupiter gaped at her like a fish out of water, clearly taken aback.

"Just leave it to me!" Minako winked and gave her a victory sign, "We'll make sure Usa doesn't stray, find out what that boy's here for, and, we'll actually get to have some high school girly fun in the meantime!"

Mako stared at her, feeling tempted to rub her eyes a few times for good measure. Then she gave up and just gave a wry smile, crossing her arms and gazing dismally up at the heavens above. "Only you would see it that way,' she mumbled. Then she bemoaned, "I hope Luna gets back here soon with Artemis."

A smart onlooker would have gathered that she, like her shorter friend, also meant business since, however a womanizer the Roman god Jupiter may have been, he'd never been known to share his lovers out with anyone.

* * *

/

"What do you mean, an English man?" Haruka asked, blinking.

"Exactly what I said," Makoto's voice was heard through Minako's communicator, which the Outer soldiers had borrowed for a while in order to stay in contact with the two Inner guardians. "He just appeared out of nowhere at school today, but, according to some rumors we've picked up, some students may have seen him on the streets before, following Usagi around like a lost puppy."

"Is that so?" Haruka frowned deeply.

"Kind of weird, isn't it? Usually Usagi's the one to follow people, and not the other way around," the Inner senshi joked.

"What does Minako say about this? Has she ever seen this man before?"

"She says she doesn't think so. But, because she's been staying with me at my place for the last couple of days, it's possible that this guy had just started lurking around at about the same time."

"I understand," the sandy-blonde responded. "You two might want to keep an eye on him, though. Until we figure out what this is all about."

"No prob," Makoto nodded, then sighed and made a small grimace. "You should hear the stuff Minako's coming up with as some sort of plan."

The sandy-blonde haired car-racer glanced at the younger girl in surprised askance.

"Huh? Whatever do you mean?"

"Er... Never mind!" the brunette waved away frantically, dismissing the issue. "I think I can handle her by myself, for now," she sweatdropped, returning an askew grin in reassurance. "If I find that I'm unable to, I'll ask you girls for some backup," With that, Makoto's face disappeared from the screen.

Haruka just sat back, staring on in confusion, as if dumbstruck, and only managing to snap out of it when she heard a certain aqua-haired violinist's laughter behind her.

"Seems like Minako-chan's already back on her feet and back to her old antics," the graceful young woman chuckled, walking over to some kitchen cabinets.

"Yeah, it seems like she's finally over her little '_depression_'," the soldier of Uranus snorted.

The two were quiet for a minute while Michiru put on an apron and started taking some things out of the drawers and refrigerator. Soon enough, the sound of gentle chopping filled the room. However, the blond haired Outer could not resist the silence any longer, and turned to her lover with a worried expression.

"Yet, a British man... This is exactly what we've feared."

"I know," Michiru responded, wiping her hands on her apron as she stopped chopping up some vegetables for dinner, in order to turn partially around and gaze at her from the corner of her eye in expectancy. "Don't you think it is finally time we told them?"

* * *

/

Harry Potter made a sound of relief when he spotted Special Auror Savage nodding at him in the affirmative as he made his way out of the school. Apparently, the man's reunion with the school director and Harry's homeroom teacher had already been finished. Therefore, Harry wouldn't have to worry about his paperwork and credentials as an exchange student being in proper order, anymore.

Savage was one of the Aurors who'd been stationed in Hogsmeade along with Nymphadora Tonks, John Dawlish and Proudfoot in order to increase security at Hogwarts, back in 1996. At the moment, though, he was polyjuiced like a Japanese muggle and passing off as a local, playing a role as both his fake muggle "foster parent" and local contact with Wizarding Britain. The raven-haired former Gryffindor wasn't all that very familiar with the man; but when he'd been informed, while still in London, that the Auror would also come to Japan in order to help out with some legal matters in front of the necessary authorities, he'd offered no objections. It was evident that an international exchange student, seen wandering all by himself about Tokyo, would be bound to attract some undesired attention, otherwise; no matter how streetsmart or emancipated he looked.

After lunchtime was over, Harry made his way back to class and was in for a surprise a few hours later, when everything came to a stop and mops and buckets appeared out of nowhere, everybody getting to their feet and proceeding to clean up not just the classroom, but also the halls and toilet-rooms outside. A strict-looking girl, who was refered to as the "class president" by the others, was leading the whole thing among their group, giving out instructions.

Before the event had been finished and over with, someone informed Harry that this was the period of _souji_ or "honourable cleaning"; fifteen minutes during which the students and staff saw to the cleanliness and hygiene of the entire school building_. Souji_ took place at the end of the school day, before students went home or to their extracurricular activities.

This seemed to be the way of all the educational establishments in the country, as a means to promote group cooperation, ethics, a sense of responsibility and public morality amongst the student body. To keep in line with this thought, unlike most schools of the West, Japanese schools did not have a caretaker, custodian or janitor.

"Harry Potter-san?" a female voice brought Harry back from his musings.

Stopping his fumbling attempts with a rather sophisticated floor squeegee, a bucket and a floor-cloth, Harry fixed the invisible headset translator on his head and turned, seeing it was the strict-looking class president.

Oh, right. The girl's actual name was Nashi Kioku (a weird name, apparently, even by Japanese standards); Harry remembered her as the girl with the trademarked looped and ringleted hairstyle, whose hair and eyes at times seemed to shine _lilac_.

The foreign wizard wondered if this was due to some new muggle hair product that he wasn't aware of.

"Harry Potter-san," Nashi Kioku repeated, "please give those cleaning tools to me. You don't have to continue cleaning. Hashidoi-sensei wants to speak to you now."

Looking at her questioningly, Harry dreaded there had been some kind of problem with the school authorities believing Savage's act after all. Handing the squeegee pole over, he thanked the girl and made his way over to Mr. Hashidoi, who was at the teacher's desk going through what the British brunet realized with a cringe were his International Exchange papers.

The young Savior of the Wizarding World found he was sweating a little.

"Mr. Potter," the silver-haired man said in fluent English, gazing at him, "I'm afraid there's some things we need to discuss"

**To Be Continued.**


End file.
